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City of Worcester: 300 Years 5 W A s we celebrate our 300th year as a municipality, we reflect with pride on three centuries of progress, while looking ahead with excitement to Worcester's best years to come. Our city has gone through many changes since its inception, but some things have always been part of our make-up. We've always been a community whose greatest strength is its diversity of people, from the indigenous people who have called this area home since long before Worcester existed to the newest arrivals, moving here from places spanning all across the globe. When our City comes together, anything is possible. We are a city of firsts. The first National Women's Rights Convention was held here in 1850. Son of Worcester Robert Goddard launched the modern space age nearby with the first liquid fueled rocket in 1926. Esther Howland and her successor George Whitney put Worcester on the map as the center of the American valentine industry for nearly a century. Artist Harvey Ball drew the now iconic Smiley Face here in 1963. This year, Polar Park will be the first minor league baseball stadium in the country to reach a half million visitors through its gates. Our rich history has laid a solid foundation for what our city has become. One of the country's most livable and thriving mid-sized cities in the U.S., Worcester reached its highest population ever: 206,000 in the most recent census. More than ever, people are voting with their feet, heading to the second largest city in New England to live, work, and play. From food to entertainment, from sports to arts, from history to recreation, the Heart of the Commonwealth has it all. Our diverse restaurants feature flavors from around the world. Our arts community is a buzzworthy scene where talent abounds. Our sports teams, museums, and theaters deliver world class entertainment. Still, there is so much possibility. The city has transformed itself from a leader in the Industrial Revolution to a pioneer in the science, technology, and medical revolution thanks, in part, to our excellent schools of higher education and bold investments from the business sector. We've invested in our parks, our infrastructure, and our schools. Our community — the public sector, private sector, and nonprofit organizations — works each day to improve the lives of all of our neighbors and to deliver to the next generation a city that is even greater than what we found. As you look through the pages of this book, you'll see why Worcester is so special to so many people. And you'll realize, there is no place like our home. Acting City Manager Eric Batista Mayor Joseph M. Petty A Message from the City